Hagel takes over the Pentagon

Chuck Hagel was finally sworn in as defense secretary this week, bringing a bruising eight-week nomination battle to an end. The Vietnam veteran had faced fierce opposition from his former Republican colleagues, including a rare filibuster. As an outspoken critic of the Bush administration’s handling of the Iraq War, Hagel was attacked by conservatives for his alleged hostility toward Israel—he once referred to a “Jewish lobby” on Capitol Hill—and his “soft” position on Iran. A shaky confirmation hearing performance only added to concerns, but Republicans eventually relented. Soon after they broke their 12-day filibuster, the former Nebraska senator was confirmed in a 58–41 Senate vote—the narrowest margin for any defense secretary ever.

Hagel may have the title, said Jennifer Rubin in WashingtonPost

.com, “but only a foolish White House would let him actually do the job.” His disastrous confirmation hearing has left him with “zero credibility, even on his own side.” The process has been great for Republicans, clarifying our position against Hagel’s “egregious rhetoric and views.” But it’s been terrible for America. His confirmation will “send a signal to Iran” that we have a weakened defense, and will worsen our relationship with Israel, which will now see the Pentagon as “hostile and untrustworthy.”

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True, the turbulent nomination has wounded Hagel, said Jon Soltz in HuffingtonPost.com. But he will eventually emerge stronger than ever. He already has authority with soldiers, having himself had his “boots on the ground.” He’ll also be able to enjoy some “groveling” from those Republicans—John McCain and Lindsey Graham included—who opposed his nomination, but who will now come to him to “advocate for the various military installations or contractors in their states.” Meanwhile, the GOP hurt itself with its unfounded personal attacks on Hagel.

Now that the confirmation battle is over, said Spencer Ackerman in Wired.com, Hagel has a whole new gantlet to run. The new Pentagon chief had just three days after taking office to figure out how to handle $46 billion in military budget cuts, thanks largely to the sequester. He’ll surely have to knock some heads together to get that done, and that process “should end all debate about just how dovish the new defense secretary actually is.”